1. Technical Field
The disclosure relates generally to seals, and more particularly, to a compression seal bracket and bracket system for a generator cooler.
2. Background Art
Generator coolers are positioned within an opening in a frame of a generator in order to cool the generator during operation. One of the rectangular ends of the generator cooler thermally expands and contracts in a free floating fashion within the opening which necessitates a sliding seal engagement of the end with the opening in the frame to prevent leakage of gases, e.g., hydrogen, from the interior of the generator. In order to seal this free floating arrangement, a compression seal is typically employed that engages/rubs against a surface of the thermally moveable end of the generator cooler. Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, four L-shaped compression seal brackets 10 are typically used to hold a compression seal 12 (FIG. 1 only) to seal a moveable end 14 within an opening 16 of a generator frame. Each L-shaped bracket 10 is clamped to a seal seat 20 by a plurality of fasteners 24 (e.g., bolts and flat washer combination) to compress seal 12 between a seal ring 22 (FIG. 1 only) and the seal seat.
L-shaped brackets 10 create a number of challenges to uniform sealing of moveable end 14. For example, as shown in FIG. 2, each L-shape bracket 10 is a straight member, which leaves corners 30 of opening 16 with non-uniform sealing force compared to other areas. Another challenge is creating uniform compression along the lengths of brackets 10. For example, as observed by comparing fasteners 24A and 24B in FIG. 2, fastener 24A is tightened to a first level leaving a gap G between bracket 10 and seal seat 20, while fastener 24B has been over-tightened such that no gap NG is present. Bracket 10 may actually be bent as indicated at fastener 24B. This over-tightening of fasteners leads to non-uniform compression of seal 12 (FIG. 1 only). In addition, over-tightening of fasteners 24 may lead to bending of brackets 10.